We know you’ve heard it before, videos are the best for getting the highest engagement on social media. As many marketers have learned, it’s easier said than done because creating videos requires time.
There are plenty of video editors to choose from to help make quick videos (both free and paid), I personally like working with Animoto. I used this during my time at a national nonprofit where most of us wore multiple hats. It helped me save time while providing top-notch marketing collateral for our fundraising campaigns.
The reason I love it so much is that it can be accessed through both its website and mobile app. This is especially beneficial for social media power users on-the-go using their phones to manage social media pages. Although it’s perfect for dropping in photos and video clips, there’s still a little more required to create a good video. Here are a few best practices to consider before you turn yourself into a one-person videography agency.
Best Practices
- Entertain and educate with a good story. Even if your brand is more formal than others, it’s okay to step outside the box and tell a compelling story about your products or services. Tell your audience what makes you or a product valuable.
- Prepare photos and video clips. Before you jump in, make sure your photos and videos are good quality. This might require some photo editing and adjusting lighting and sound. Avoid back noise in video clips at all costs.
- Write out your storyboard. To avoid spending hours figuring out your video, write out your script and describe the photos and videos that will go with each frame. This will help you stay on message.
- State your purpose in the first ten seconds. Thanks to social media, our attention spans are shorter than ever (if you made it this far in my article, you are magic!). Videos are typically most effective if they’re 30 seconds or less on social media so the first ten seconds are where you need to grab your audience’s attention.
- Consider your platforms. Animoto has two video sizes, rectangular and square. This is something you’ll want to consider if you’re posting on different platforms such as a cover video on your Facebook page or a post on Instagram.
- Leverage SEO. Whether it’s YouTube or Facebook, writing a clear description with keywords associated with your brand will help your SEO and your video to be found easily.
By keeping these best practices in the back of your head, you’ll be ready to whip up professional videos in a matter of minutes and on-the-go. Have questions or other tips? Share them in the comments. Happy editing!